MetalTalk scribe Mark Taylor got on the phone with German guitarist Michael Schenker during rehearsals for his now-underway European tour. In the following excerpt he discusses late Motörhead leader Lemmy Kilmister:

Q: We've just lost Lemmy from Motörhead. Did you have any connection with him over the years?

A: “Yes, when he first put Motörhead together, Lemmy asked me to be the guitarist. It was many years ago, but we toured together when he was in Hawkwind and I was with UFO, we toured the States together and I saw Lemmy everyday, but later when he started to put Motörhead together, he approached me to be his lead guitarist but I wasn't interested.”

Q: Wow! I never knew that. Did you audition at all or did you turn down Lemmy down straight away?

A: “No, I couldn't see that it would be something for me. I declined, I just couldn't see how it would work.”

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Schenker released a new double A-side single, “Rock City” b/w “Good Times”, on January 11th to celebrate his nationwide UK tour that is now underway.

The single is taken from Michael Schenker’s Temple Of Rock album Spirit On A Mission. The tour will see Schenker perform tracks from the album including the singles “Communion”, “Vigilante Man” and “Live And Let Live”, plus UFO, MSG, and Scorpions classics.

Tickets for the UK concerts are available from the 24 hour box office 0844 478 0898 or can be booked from thegigcartel.com. Schenker’s band features ex-Scorpions Herman Rarebell (drums) and Francis Buchholz (bass), Wayne Findlay (guitar, keyboards), and ex-Rainbow vocalist Doogie White.

Catch Michael Schenker's Temple Of Rock live in concert:

January
21 - Holmfirth Picturedome - Holmfirth, England
22 - Queens Hall - Edinburgh, Scotland
23 - The Ironworks - Inverness, Scotland
25 - The Sage - Gateshead, England
26 - 02 Academy - Liverpool, England
28 - Academy 2 - Manchester, England
29 - Rock City - Nottingham, England
30 - Islington Assembly Hall - London, England
31 - Giants Of Rock - Minehead, England

February
2 - Musichall - Worpswede, Germany
3 - Anger Bio - Copenhagen, Denmark
4 - Debaser Medis - Stockholm, Sweden
5 - KB - Malmo, Sweden
6 - Union Scene - Drammen, Norway
20 to 24 - Axes and Anchors Cruise - Miami, FL